The role of traditional handcrafting in promoting sustainability: A literature review

The fashion industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors of the global economy, with significant social and environmental impacts. However, the prevailing fast-fashion model leads to overconsumption and serious consequences for both the environment and industry workers. In response to this trend, the slow fashion movement has emerged, promoting a more conscious and sustainable approach to clothing production and consumption. This movement involves a variety of practices, including traditional techniques such as weaving, embroidery, knitting, felting, and dyeing with natural dyes. In this study, a systematic literature review was conducted to explore how traditional techniques are incorporated into contemporary fashion design and production, and whether these techniques truly support local communities. The findings reveal that traditional techniques are linked to sustainability in the fashion industry; however, they require a significant investment of time compared to fast-fashion cycles, resulting in higher production costs. Thus, despite their promising potential, these techniques contradict the prevailing economic model of development followed in the fashion industry. Ultimately, this study highlights the important role of traditional techniques in promoting sustainability and advocates for integrating these practices in the fashion industry through an alternative economic model.